The Future of Advanced Practice is extremely bright.

As part of Hallam Medical's Advanced Practice Week celebrations, we have asked our Clinical Director and co-founder, Alex Munro to tell us about his life as an Advanced Practitioner.

When I was 18, I did not realise I wanted to be a nurse; instead as a passionate scientist I wanted to be a Doctor, a Physiotherapist, or indeed a scientist – basically anything that involved science.

However, upon the realisation that working in a laboratory was going to bore me immensely and as I am equally passionate about talking to people I decided upon Nursing.

I signed up to the Nursing Course – and quite frankly it was the best move I ever made. I had not anticipated the opportunities’ and job satisfaction Nursing and being a Nurse would give me.

After qualifying, I spent seven 7 years developing my Nursing career. I thoroughly enjoyed working in Accident & Emergency, and it was there I realised; as a Nurse I was more than capable of treating patients on a level with the newly qualified House Officers (and to be honest some Senior House Officers)

I knew I wanted to be autonomous and responsible for my own patients but also, I wanted to learn more about the human body. It was my experience of working within A&E that gave me the confidence in myself to step in to Advanced Practice and my journey began working within Urgent Care.

As part of this role and as a now practicing Advanced Practitioner I saw patients with minor Injuries along with minor and moderate illnesses. I also worked within Primary Care; undertaking home visits for the ambulance service and acting as a mobile A&E unit. If I could fix patients – I would.

Although, this was initially a pilot scheme, it saw a huge reduction in hospital attendance & admissions and the benefits of the scheme and the use of Advanced Practitioners were quickly identified, resulting in me working substantively for the Ambulance Service. I was exposed to every type of emergency imaginable; but my Nursing and Advanced Practitioner experience enabled me, and my colleagues, to provide a great service to patients and make a genuine difference. I had found my perfect job.

In 2007 there was a huge growth in GP Led Walk in Centres, and this resulted in an increased demand for Advanced Nurse Practitioners to work and support these demanding, fast-paced environments. The same can now be said for Minor Injury Units and Nurse Led Walk in Centres.

It was at this time I realised the true potential of Advanced Practitioners and noticed the real increase in demand for highly qualified practitioners– whether a Nurse, Paramedic or indeed another discipline..

Since becoming an Advanced Practitioner there has always been one constant, the patient. In the last ten years their presenting conditions remain the same.

What has changed is the workforce including the ratio between Doctors and Advanced Practitioners.

The future importance of Advanced Practice is immense. We have a strong future with clinical seniority.

As a Nurse we no longer need to climb the ladder into management to progress. We can continue to do what we love; see and treat patients, whilst also developing our career clinically and continuing to take on new roles; be it Community, Primary Care, Accident & Emergency or indeed Acute Care.

If you want to develop as a Nurse and a clinician, you no longer have to become a Doctor. You can be an independent autonomous Advanced Clinician in your own right.